Converter.



Patented Nov. 25, |902.

a. c. cAnsoN.

CONVERTER.

(Application led Dec.' 17, 1901.)

(Nn Model.)

1m: Norms Penas ou, uovo-mmc. wunmm'ou, D. c`

4o to the proper temperature.

invention relates to the utilizing of the great NHED STATES ATENT FFICE.

GEORGE C. CARSON, OF REDDIN G, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-'II-IIRDS TO ALBERT MILLER, OF REDDING, CALIFORNIA,

AND FRED HURST, OF

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CONVERTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 714,449, dated November 25, 1902.

i Application iiled December 17, 1901. Serial No. 86,327. (No modela To @ZZ whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. CARSON, a a citizen of the United States, residing at Redding, in the county of Shasta and State ot California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Converters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for treating molten metals for converting metallic to mattes into bullion or for converting molten pig into malleable iron or steel. Forconvenience in description and illustration I have shown the present invention as applied tothe converter described in an application for pat- :5 ent iiled by me August 30, 1901, Serial No. 73,816, although such improvements can be applied to other forms of converters used in connection with a smelting-furnace.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is 2o a longitudinal section of a converter constructed substantially like the one described in the application referred to, but containing the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a crosssection on line m a: ofFig. l. 2 5 The converter shown contains the compartments c, f, t', Z, and `m, separated by partitions and having the communicating ports or passages 9,71., j, and l. The blast-furnace is indicated at a, with its discharge-spout b 3o over the compartment c, and d is the slagspout from said compartment. Oxygen is supplied to the-compartments c and 't' in the converter shown by twyers z, which are carried horizontally through the converter-walls Y and which communicate with air headers or trunks s, extending along the sides. 'As itis desirableto supply such airin a heated condition, it has been usual to employ some eX- ternal heating apparatus for bringing the air One part of my heat ot the molten metal in the converter for heating the air-supply previous to its admission .to the twyers. I accomplish `this by forming an air-chamber in the hood fu, which is supported above the converter in any suitable way, as by pillars or hangers, and whichhas an outlet or stack yat any convenient point. For this purposeI prefer the'construc- 5o tion shown in Fig. 2, in which the hood has double Walls inclosingan air-space and which can be made in the arched form shown or inany other shape desired, provided that it be properly exposed to the heat below. The double walls should be braced and strength-` ened, and I have shown for that purpose longitudinal beams o', bolted between the walls. An air-supply pipe q is connected to this heating-chamber, and hot-air-discharge pipes q' lead from it and communicate with the 6o headers s; Thus the cold air supplied to the double-walled hood is heated by the molten metal under treatment, and external heating means are entirely done away with.

The double hood is provided with a hinged charging-door @which is hollow and open at both ends. When open, such doors form chutes through whichiron orsteel scrap, oxid of lime, or other iiuXes can be supplied to the converter as may be desired, Fig. 2. 7o

Two doors are shown in Fig. l, one in full and the other in dotted lines; but it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the number.

Y It will be seen that there is a slight space v,

between the roof and the side Walls of the converter. This permits the admission of air, the purpose of which will now be explained. When the air-blast is turned on through the twyers,among the reactions which take 8o place is that of the oxygen uniting with the carbon in the proportion of one atom of oxygen to one of carbon to form carbon monoxid, which rises or is forced to the surface of the contents of the converter. Were a tight hood provided, this would pass o in that form to the open air through the exit from the hood; but by admitting air beneath the hood the carbon monoxidtakes up additional oxygen from the air and is converted into carbon `di- 9o oXid, the combustion due to the union producing an exceedingly hot iiame, which fills the dame-space beneath the roof and heats the air within the airchamber of the roofto a high degree. a

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the cross-section of the converteris tapered downwardly-that is, that in cross-section its walls converge toward the bottom. This is for the purpose of protecting the twyers a roo and at the same time allowing them to project inwardly, so as to discharge practically at the point of greatest efficiency, which is the middle of l(he bath. It will be noted that 5 the twyers in Fig. 2 do so discharge, but are embedded throughout their lengths in the converter-lining, whereby they are protected not only from the molten metal, but from heavy scrap, fluxes, dac., dumped into the 1o converter.

Of course myimprovements can be applied to single-compartment converters or to any bath for molten metal provided with means for supplying air to the interior.

In converting copper matte, as well as other metallic mattes, the lining must be made of some suitable material that will be neutral to the metal under treatment, while the proper fluxes can be added at the doors of the hood 2o to give iuidity to the cinder.

There may be more than one charging-door VVY"\..\ as shown in Fig. l, which illustrates one Lof said doors in dotted lines and one in full lines.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a converter, twyers for supplying air to the contents thereof, a

3o substantially dome-shaped roof above the same, said roof comprising inner and outer concentric walls, longitudinal I-beams separating and supporting said walls and having air-passages, an air-supply to the space between said walls, and a connection between said space and the twyers, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a converter, a double-walled chamber above the same, and a 4o double-walled hinged door, forming when opened, a feed-chute.

3. A converter having primary and secondary chambers with downwardly-converging walls, twyers for forcing air into said primary and secondary chambers near the lower part thereof, and an exit from said primary compartment to said second compartment below the line of the twyers, substantially as described.

4. A converter having primary andvsecondary chambers with downwardly converging walls, twyers for forcing air into the primary and secondary chambers near the bottom thereof, a double-walled roof over said chambers forming an air-heatingI chamber, and connections from said air-heating chamber to said twyers, substantially as described.

5. In a converter, a chamber having downwardly-converging Walls increasing in thickness toward the bottom, and twyers penetrating said walls and discharging into Ithe contracted lower portion of the chamber, substantially as described.

6. In a converter, a chamber of substantially V shape, said chamber having its walls thickened toward the bottom twyers entering said walls and discharging into the chamber near the bottom, and a horizontally-extending exit for the molten metal at the apex of the chamber, substantially as described.

7. In a converter, the combination with the chamber for the molten metal and twyers for admitting air thereto, of a double-walled roof over said chamber forming an air-heating chamber and a flame-space beneath, connections for conveying air from the heatingchamber to said twyers, and an air-passage for admitting air to said flame-space beneath the roof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of November, 1901.

GEO. C. CARSON.

Witnesses:

J. L. MCCARTY, J oHN Q. SMYTHE. 

